Ahimsa Varsh 2600th Birth Anniversary of Mahavir Swami

Author(s): Naresh Jain, P Jayaraman
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 29

Introducing the Honorees ...
On the occasion of this Ahimsa Varsh Celebration, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan is proud to honor some of the leading personalities who have dedicated themselves to the promotion of Ahimsa (non-vio- lence) in the world community, and to serving the Indian community, through the preservation and furtherance of Indian culture, val- ues and education. We take pleasure in bestowing on them Ahimsa
Ratna and Sewa Ratna Awards respectively. In addition, the Bhavan is pleased to recognize the services of a few individuals who have committed themselves to spreading the message of Lord Mahavir through their services to the community, educational and charitable activities. The list of honorees is given below.
Ahimsa Ratna Awardees
Dr. Mahendra K. Pandya
Devendra Tokarshi Peer
JAINA filled this vacuum. Established in 1981, JAINA is the umbrella organization that guides and combines all Jain centers in North America and Canada." Dr. Pandya, the former President of JAINA has made it his life's mission to bring together all Jains irrespective of their language, region or tradition.
The 66 year old Dr. Pandya is a first generation American. He left India way back in 1966 after he completed his MD(medicine) from Gwalior University. He travelled to the USA for further studies; then stayed back to practice from 1972 to 1997 Dr. Pandya's involvement with Jainism is not something new. He says, "Obviously, distance makes the heart grow fonder. But right from the beginning I have adhered to the precepts and principles of Jainism, whether in India or abroad. Incidentally, Dr. Pandya was the founder member of the first JAINA unit in New York and he was also involved with establishing the first Jain temple in New York. What is JAINA? Dr.Pandya patiently explains," There is a sizeable population of Jains in the US, but scattered as they were they hardly interacted in any significant way. So though there were several unitary bodies, there was no single unifying body
Devendra Tokarshi Peer was born in Bombay in a Jain family to religious parents. "Peer" means a spiritual person. "Peer" was a title given to forefathers who were thought to possess "spiritual powers". As President of Samarpan Jain Sangh he took initiative to host the 10th JAINA Convention in Philadelphia With Gurudev Chitrabhanu, Father Valles Devendra Tokarshi Peer and Poet Makarand Dave as speakers and teachers, this convention took Jain philosophy to a higher level of visibility and understanding. The secular spirit of India and Ahimsa were brought home for bicultural Indians in America. This flammable world today needs a philosophy of life that dares people to adopt a way of Non-violence, and show that there is only one way to separate ourselves from the frantic demands of
Dr. Mahendra K. Pandya
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